We have learnt four precious lessons from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus so far: (1) “God allots different conditions to different people”, and (2) “A man’s temporal condition is no test to the state of his soul,” (3) All classes of people alike come to the grave, and (4) “A believer’s soul is precious in the sight of God.” I’ll continue with the fifth lesson….

(5) The sin of selfishness is a dangerous and soul-ruining sin. The rich man in the parable is in a hopeless state. If there was no other picture of a lost soul in hell in all the Bible, we have it here. We must meet him in the beginning, clothed in purple and fine linen. We part with him at the last, tormented in the everlasting fire. Yet there is nothing to show that this man was a murderer, or a thief, or an adulterer, or a liar. There is no reason to say that he was an atheist, or an infidel, or a blasphemer. It is more than possible that this rich man attended to all the ordinances of the Jewish religion, but we do know that he was lost forever.

Here is a man whose outward life in all probability was correct.He dresses richly, but then he had money to spend on his apparel. He gives splendid feasts and entertainments, but then he was wealthy and could well afford it. We read nothing recorded against him that might not be recorded of hundreds and thousands in the present day who are counted respectable and good sort of people. And yet at the end, he goes to hell.

(a) It teaches us to beware of living only for ourselves. It is not enough to say, “I live correctly,” or “I attend to all the outward requirements of Christianity.” There remains behind another question, to which the Bible requires an answer – “To whom do you live – to yourself or to Christ?” “What is the great end, aim, object, and ruling motive in your life?” As for Paul, the answer was, “He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but into Him which died for them and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:15).

(b) It teaches us the damnable nature of sins of omission. It does seem that it was so much the things the rich man did, but the things he left undone that had caused him to be misled. Lazarus was at his gate, and he let him alone. It is exactly in keeping with the history of judgment in Matthew 25. Nothing is said there of the sins of commission of which the lost are guilty. Verses 42-43 read, “I was hungered, and ye gave Me no meat. I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not.” The charge against them is simply that they did not do certain things. On this their sentence turns. Sins of omission may ruin our souls.

(c) It teaches us that riches bring special danger with them. Riches, which the vast majority of men are always seeking after, riches for which they spend their lives, and of which they make an idol; riches entail on their possessor immense spiritual peril. The possession of them has a very hardening effect on the soul. They chill, they freeze, and they petrify the inward man. They close the eye to the things of faith. The insensibly produce a tendency to forget God. It is in perfect harmony with the Lord’s words in Mark 10:23 and 25, “And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! … 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:10, “The love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they had erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Remember Achan, who brought defeat on the armies of Israel and death on himself for money. Remember Balaam who sinned against light

and tried to curse God’s people for money. Remember Delila who betrayed Samson to the Philistines for money. For money Gehazi liked to Naaman and Elisha and became a leper. For money Ananias and Sapphira became the first hypocrites in the early church and lost their lives. For money Judas Iscariot sold Christ and was ruined eternally.

Money, in truth is one of the most unsatisfying of possessions. It takes away some cares, no doubt, but it brings with it quite as many cares as it takes away. There is trouble in the getting of it. There is anxiety in the keeping of it. There are temptations in the use of it. There is guilt in the abuse of it. There is sorrow in the losing of it. There is perplexity in the disposing of it. Most strife, quarrels, and lawsuits in the world, arise from one simple cause – money!

Money most certainly is one of the most ensnaring and heart-changing of possessions. It seems desirable at a distance. It often proves a poison when in our hand. No man can possibly tell the effect of money on his soul, if it suddenly falls to his lot to possess it. Many did run well as poor men who forget God when they are rich.

Thus, I must say that those who have money, like the rich man in the parable, ought to take double pains about their souls. They live in a most unhealthy atmosphere. They have double need to be on their guard.

(d) It teaches us that special carefulness about selfishness in these last days must be stirred up in our hearts. We have a special warning in 2 Timothy 3:1-2, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.” As we live in the last days, we ought to beware of the sins here mentioned, if we love our souls. We must regard the selfishness and covetousness as likely arise in the last days. Scripture says against covetousness and selfishness and on behalf of liberality in giving money. Jesus spoke the parable of the Rich Fool and blamed him because he was not “rich toward God” (Luke 12:21). He also speaks of the deceitfulness of riches as one reason why the seed of the Word bears no fruit in the parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:22). He also says in Luke 14:12-14, “Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. 13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: 14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.” He says in Luke 12:33, “Sell that ye have and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth?” Paul classes covetousness with sins of the grossest description and denounces it as idolatry in Colossians 3:5. We know that alms-giving cannot atone for sin. Our good works cannot justify us, but do not go into the other extreme that we should not give away any money at all.

Lovingly,

Your Pastor

More Lively Hope

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